Polymeric film with cling is nowadays commonly used domestically as a wrapping material for food, for example. The film is popular and desirable, because of its natural "cling" characteristics, that is its ability to stick to itself and to form an intimate contact with smooth surfaces. During cool dry weather, it also has a tendency to acquire a static electric charge, thus making the film suitable for use in a refrigerator.
It is known to provide containers for polymeric film wherein the latter is placed as a roll. The container is formed with an aperture for the leading edge of the roll, so that the leading edge can be pulled out of the container. Cutting means are provided with the container, allowing a user to tear off a sheet section of the film for use as needed.
Even with the cutter spaced away from the aperture, it has been found that the leading edge of the film has a tendency to retract into the supply roll due to its elasticity, cling and other factors. When this occurs, it is very troublesome and difficult to locate the leading edge, because of the thinness of the film. It then becomes necessary to open the container and even lift out the supply roll to separate the leading portion of the film.
Moreover, due to its cling, the leading edge has a tendency to crinkle and fold upon itself after a section has been cut.
The prior art has taught several improvements in such containers or cartons. For example, the Canadian Patent issued to Hebert on Aug. 31, 1965 and bearing No. 716,927 discloses a container having a longitudinal slit in its front wall through which the sheet material can pass. A downwardly- outwardly-positionable flap 17 is made to project from the slit (see FIG. 3 of the patent). The cutting means is disposed along the outer edge of the flap. There are two main disadvantages to this design:
(a) the film will adhere to the outer surface of the flap, thereby making it difficult to pull; PA0 (b) more importantly, a user wishing to pull at the leading edge runs the risk of scratching or even cutting his/her fingers on the cutter, since the latter is at the outer edge of the flap.
Other patents teach the use of tack spots on the front-dispensing wall of the container, or pressure adhesives according to relatively-elaborate construction.